Blood Diamond
by Bijou Lee
Summary: Klaus has big plans for Stefan, and when his reluctant henchman is horrified of Klaus' motive, Stefan takes a risk and makes a quick escape.  Still deciding if this should remain a oneshot or evolve to a longer story.
1. Blood Diamond

Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Diaries.

Author's note: This is my first story about one of the best vampire stories ever created. While I was thinking of writing my other stories, I was watching the first episode of season 3. I was trying to calm the voices that chattered endlessly in my head. Watching TV is a wonderful distraction to the chaos that is going on inside and around me. So this is what I came up with so far. I hope you enjoy reading the chapter!

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Blood. Fresh. Warm. Sweet. Unfairly bitter with the occasional flu shot. The exhilaration that life was slipping away, and he was the one who stole Death's sickle, relishing the chance to feel the last breath on his cheek, to watch the last flicker of life. His skin tingled when his teeth sunk into skin, warm stickiness oozing into his cold fangs, his parched throat, his hunger pang quietly extinguished.

He was known as the Ripper. Widely known and revered among the vampire circle, Stefan watched his prey's blank face and gently pulled her eyes closed. He began his Ripper's ritual. However, ever since he joined forces with Klaus, he tried his best to respect his victim's soul, apologizing for his unforgiving action, adding a short prayer as a form of redemption, wishing that her trip to the other world overshadowed her horrifying departure. But he knew that it could never compensate for what he had done. In addition, he enjoyed every minute and drop of her ordeal. He simply loved human blood. Fresh and alive. And fear added an orgasmic flavor to the killing. When the prey tensed up and cried for help, blood rushed faster so when his fangs punctured her taut skin, the blood flow was quicker and deceptively bottomless. Unlike the stale, old blood he had lived off the past few centuries, human blood was irreplaceable. It was nothing compared to the powdery junk humans injected their bloodstreams with: heroine, cocaine, ecstasy, crystal meth, weed.

Her name was Marie Halls. She was blonde, polished, and petite. She was a senior at University of Mississippi, and Stefan just snuffed the life out of her. She was at the prime of her life, en route to Harvard Law School after graduation. She wanted to be a lawyer, though Stefan couldn't tell from first impression. She had gentle eyes and a soft nature about her. He couldn't imagine her hazelnut eyes glaring at the guilty defendant, stating her case, slamming her hand to emphasize her point, drawing sympathy and justified verdict from the jury.

And yet, people surprised Stefan all the time. During her dying hour, Marie put up a fight, her tiny frame against Stefan's stone-cold body. Why couldn't she just give in? It was pointless and stupid. She might as well punched a black bear in the gut, and she would just enrage it, prompting it to claw her into tiny pieces.

Humans were a piece of work. And he was in no position to judge. When he had met Katherine, he fell in love with her instantly. He fought with Damon over her, causing a permanent divide between brothers. He fought for her love even though she had no plans of returning to them, to him. And yet, he fought and struggled and sought after her. And then he met Elena, and she changed his world completely.

Elena. It was her birthday yesterday, and he missed it. He missed seeing her smile, laugh, her throaty voice whispering into his ear, teasing him. And when he called her last night, his voice was gone, betraying him. Her voice shone through his agony, and he couldn't hold back the tears. He cried in the parking lot. Cried for his love and his loss.

"Earth to Stefan," a cold voice said. Klaus was sitting in one of the big chairs, one leg swung over the other. He yawned, clearly bored with Stefan's lackluster mood change. "We haven't got all day."

Stefan nodded. One hand held the corpse's jaw, while the other gripped her shoulder, as if he was about to pry her open. It was his signature move, ripping their heads from their bodies. It was demeaning, tasteless, and cruel. And yet, Stefan believed it was the sanest thing he could do; setting the bodies upright, as if they were still alive, only sleeping.

"You're wasting precious time, Stefan," Klaus said in a singing voice. "Leave them be. Better than having the bloody police track us down."

"They'll become more suspicious if we just leave them in forests like we're animals. They've already suspected something's not right," Stefan pressed, aligning the head to its former position. Marie's lips were a startling shade of blue. Stefan sighed softly.

"You and your assumptions. You think too much about other people's opinions. Relax. Once I construct my army, humans would wonder no more." Klaus smiled evilly.

Stefan pretended he didn't hear. He leaned back and studied the corpse, sitting in her old living room, with splatters of blood turning brown in her rug. It was like he was studying his latest masterpiece.

"Very nice," Klaus nodded his approval. He suddenly stood up. "That was a refreshing snack, and now's time to check on our little monster friend." Klaus said, glancing at the overhead clock.

They took a short break from the bar, mainly on Klaus' whim. He was ruthless and unpredictable, and Stefan had no other choice but to follow. He trailed behind Klaus but nearly crashed into him when Klaus stopped suddenly at the front door. Klaus turned to Stefan suddenly, tilting his head as if mulling over something.

"There's a vampire playing voyeur outside. Kindly bring him in," Klaus walked back from where he came, entering the living room.

Stefan sniffed at their air like a bloodhound and found the young vampire from the bushes. Looking at his ragged face, Stefan could tell that this vampire was young and hungry. Why he was in the vicinity was a mystery to Stefan, but he had orders to fulfill. With lightning-fast movements, Stefan was lurking behind the vampire, who jumped up in shock.

"I smelled blood," he said, stuttering, his eyes darting from left to right.

"Who turned you? Where were you from?" Stefan asked. He knew he was testing Klaus' patience by making him wait, but his curiosity overcame his current obligations.

"I…" He stopped, blinking rapidly. He closed his eyes, finding the memory. "It was dark and then someone grabbed me and I thought I was being mugged but he bit me. Bit me in the damn neck!" He revealed punctured wounds on his neck, which was still lined with dried blood. "Next thing I knew it, I've been having this insatiable hunger that no food or drink can satisfy. I… and then… I killed someone. She smelled so good…"

Stefan felt bad for him. He was clearly lost and confused of his transformation. He then asked, "What's your name?"

The young vampire looked up. He was in his early twenties. "James."

"Name's Stefan. C'mon," he ushered the young man to the house. "My boss wants to meet you."

James complied hesitantly. His shoulders were hunched and his nerves were frazzled. Stefan worried that he would crumble into dust, even though it was past midnight.

When they arrived at the living room, Klaus was sitting in the same chair, smiling at the newcomer.

"Hello," Klaus said.

James bobbed his head. "Hi. My name's James."

"A youngling. Perfect," Klaus said, flashing a grin.

James took a tentative step backwards. Something was off about this man. He smiled and yet his eyes were hollow and dark. He smiled cockily at James, as if one glare could petrify James into stone.

"Sit down, sit." James gestured to the occupied couch.

James jumped in surprise. "Who…?"

"Her name was Marie. Poor Marie didn't follow her mother's advice not to talk to strangers. Oh Marie," Klaus shook his head, as if he was disappointed in the young girl. "She had so much spark in her."

But James didn't hear Klaus. His eyes focused on the blood. She reeked of blood and death, and hunger pangs made his mouth water.

"Sad to say, but we sucked her dry," Klaus said, killing his mood.

Still, that didn't stop James from inching closer.

"Don't touch her," Stefan warned.

"Yes, Stefan doesn't want anyone touching his precious art," Klaus said, eyeing the vampire youth closely. Stefan knew that look. Klaus was planning something. Something that didn't bode well for James.

"Come with me, James. I know a place where you can find a homeless guy or two," Stefan pulled James' shoulder, but he shrugged Stefan's arm away and swatted the head off its perch, sucking at the leftover blood at the base of the corpse's neck. He was licking and sucking its shoulders, hoping to draw an ounce of blood from the lifeless body.

"James!" Stefan exclaimed, searching for Marie's head.

"Now, now, Stefan. The poor boy's hungry," Klaus said, still watching James bite Marie's breast.

"What are you planning, Klaus?" Stefan finally asked, the dead girl's head in his hand.

Klaus winked at Stefan. He fished for something from his pocket and pulled out a syringe. He stuck it into a visible vein and drew some of his blood. When he was finished, he stood up and struck James' neck unceremoniously, injecting his hybrid blood into the unsuspecting vampire.

James stopped and cried out in pain, turned around and swatted Klaus' arm away. It burned. His whole body was on fire, like his blood was boiling from the inside out. He crawled in agony, reaching out to Stefan for help. It was like all his insides were melting, including his bones. And just when the burn started, his whole body was consumed in fire, scorching him into dust.

Stefan stared at the black remains of James. He couldn't speak, couldn't move. What the hell was Klaus trying to prove?

"What was that for?" Stefan asked angrily, his hands clenching the head harder, almost crushing the skull.

Klaus let out a disappointed sigh, and for a moment, Stefan believed that Klaus truly felt that way. He twirled the syringe in his hand, glanced at where James had writhed in pain.

"I thought my blood could turn a vampire into a werewolf without curing him of the werewolf's bite. But I guess my blood could only neutralize the poison in the bloodstream. It was just an idea that popped into my head. Shame it didn't work." Klaus said, walking out the door. "Clean up the mess, will you?"

Stefan didn't comply and followed Klaus angrily. "You should've given it some more thought before you actually do it. You didn't have to kill him like that."

Klaus turned to face Stefan. "Why do you think I took such a risk? You think this was another whim of mine? Today's failed experiment was for you, Stefan."

Stefan took a step back, confused. "What do you mean?"

"Relax. I don't plan on putting your life in danger just because an idea popped into my head. I wanted to test it out first. I want you to become like me." Klaus said, grinning.

Stefan could feel his jaw dropping. "Why?"

"Why? Stefan," Klaus laughed and approached Stefan, hugging the bemused vampire. "I want you to be with me forever. I don't want you to be vulnerable when I have to wage war against the rest of the world. You're mine, Stefan. I'm never letting you go," Klaus said, his eyes glinting in the dim light.

Stefan was at a loss of words. He could smell the blood in Klaus' breath, could feel the warmth of his werewolf blood. He backed away, shook his head.

"I'm content the way I am."

"That's 'cuz you don't know what it's like! The power, the abilities, the immunity! We'll be indestructible!" Klaus said, opening his arms for emphasis.

"You'll have an army. What do you need me for?" Stefan said.

"Oh Stefan, so naïve. For collateral, maybe something more. As long as your brother and ex-girlfriend are still hot on our tails and wishing for your return, there's always the possibility of your betrayal."

"But I promised my loyalty!" Stefan almost yelled. He quickly closed his mouth, tried to contain his anger from welling up.

"I know, I know. But it's not just collateral for me. It's also because you're like a precious jewel to me. The way you kill humans, you are like no other, Stefan. I don't want stupid lowlifes to take that away from you. You understand?" Klaus said, his eyes boring into Stefan.

Stefan felt like objecting but he knew it was futile. He only nodded.

"Good boy," Klaus said, walking away. "I'll be at the bar."

When he was alone, Stefan returned to the living room and cleaned up the mess James and Klaus had made. He thought about what Klaus said about him, about how he was his precious jewel. Stefan shivered in disgust. There was no way Klaus harbored romantic feelings for Stefan; he merely saw Stefan as a prized possession, a dog carrying out its master's orders. But Stefan was still wary of Klaus' obsession of his killer urges.

Because of his reputation, he became a prisoner to it. There was no escape from Klaus' clutches.

After the cleanup, Stefan decided to make a detour to the bar. Within minutes, he was staring into Elena's empty room. He was risking her safety but he couldn't care less. The urge to be around her suddenly consumed him, shadowing his sense of better judgment. He touched the pane of her glass, his breath fogging the window.

Suddenly, the bathroom door opened, tendrils of steam snaking into the room, and Elena emerged, her svelte figure barely swathed in her blue towel. She was rubbing her hair, oblivious of the red-rimmed eyes that stalked her every move. Stefan felt his body and heart ache, yearning to caress Elena's smooth, wet skin, to feel her breath against his chest and his face, her eyes staring into his lovingly. He missed her tremendously, and he realized that it was a bad idea to come here. The urge was great, and he grudgingly pried his eyes away, slowly pulling his fingers and clenching them until blood dripped.

And he was gone. Just like that. As if he hadn't been there.

Elena thought she heard something outside her window. She walked over and opened it slightly, glancing from left to right. But something in the air made her stop. She breathed in slowly and deeply, and then she recognized his scent. Musky with a tinge of blood, she knew that smell anywhere. She frantically looked around and called his name but the quiet breeze didn't even stir against her wails. She cried herself to sleep, dreaming of Stefan, of his big hands and arms, of his searing brown eyes.

Elena was his precious jewel. But instead of obsession, his love was deep and true. His heart ached for her, yearned for her. He wanted to feel her again, to be touched by those long, elegant fingers. He was afraid that he would break her, and maybe it was best to leave her alone, to keep her at a distance. He would sacrifice himself for her because she was always his one and only, his blood diamond.

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You like? No like? You know what to do.

P.S. I'm still debating if this should be a oneshot or a first chapter of a series that I might continue. If you have any suggestions, feel free to let me know. I appreciate it. Anyways, hope you enjoyed reading the story. Thanks!


	2. Once in a Blue Moon

Disclaimer: I don't own Vampire Diaries.

Author's note: Thanks for the reviews! I didn't think I would write a new chapter but here it is.

Enjoy!

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He watched the sunrise, slow yet regal, chasing away the shadows as if eradicating the last remnant of yesterday's folly accidents and unforeseen tragedies. He looked at the ring Katherine had given him, the one that saved his and Damon's lives, and for a moment his anger toward her abated. He may never know if she truly loved or merely toyed with his feelings, but he could never lie about how he felt for centuries. He had loved her but she only used him like a plaything, pushing Stefan to put an end to her little game. Even now, he had to put an end to his love for Elena.

"Goodbye, Elena," Stefan said, as if the wind could carry the heaviness of his last message to her. He felt like a part of him had died when he was looking into her window, knowing that his relationship with her could never be. As long as she was alive, she was never safe with him.

Stefan touched his ring. How easy it was to slip it off his finger, to let the slow burn of the sun suddenly consume him, his ashes blowing off into the wind, into the lake. Yes, this was the perfect spot to die. The cottage by the lake was the last moment of happiness they had shared together. It was brief yet unforgettable. Nostalgia tugged at his heart, making him clench his fist. There was no way he could move on without Elena. Rather than let Klaus use him until he was nothing more but a mindless zombie-slave, he might as well die. Besides, his life was literally a living hell.

He closed his eyes, breathed in deeply. The light breeze tousled his soft, brown hair; the wood-scented air reminded him briefly of his old life, back when he was unwittingly struck by Cupid's arrow; he listened to the gentle lull of the still waters, rocking him slowly to sleep. And then he opened his eyes and saw the sun looming above, shining brighter than he last observed. There was a reason why he kept living, even when Katherine had left him alone.

Hope. Hope that he would find Katherine. Hope that she would come back to him. Hope that she would answer all his questions. And when those questions were finally answered and he was slightly disappointed in her, but he realized that Katherine had to leave because Klaus was chasing after her. So Stefan would hold onto the last shred of hope that he would reunite with Elena. Although the road ahead of him seemed much darker, there was always the possibility that he would return to Elena. Someday. Somehow.

Resolute of his final decision, Stefan made his way back to the bar. As soon as he crossed the threshold, however, he knew that something was amiss. The room was empty. He rushed to the pool table where he had tortured the werewolf, found it to be unoccupied and streaked with dried blood. Even the bar folks were nowhere to be seen.

"Took you long enough," Klaus said, emerging from the shadows. He had the same cocky smile, the piercing dark eyes that said he was not to be messed with.

Stefan turned around sharply; more surprised that he didn't sense Klaus' presence.

"Where's Ray? And the others?" he asked.

"Why are you such a prick about other people's welfare? They don't give a bloody damn about you," Klaus said, shaking his head, his voice rising slightly. When Stefan remained silent, Klaus shrugged his shoulders. "Ray's making a bloody mess in the bathroom. He's had three girls already." He grinned, relishing in his lovely creation.

"Three… girls?" Stefan muttered, slightly aghast.

"And he's on a roll. He's gorging on the fat bartender as we speak," Klaus said. He was obviously brimming with pride, as his glance fell on the bathroom door, imagining the carnage that was taking place. He lifted his nostrils, taking a whiff of the bloodstained air. "Where a vampire lacks power and self-restraint, a werewolf makes up for stamina and discipline."

"And hunger?" Stefan asked.

"It's insatiable at first. Unbearably painful, but you get used to it. The werewolf is disciplined by nature so getting over the hunger pangs takes a week at most, sometimes as few as three days. Unlike a vampire, who takes weeks or months to control the hunger pangs, a hybrid's capacity is more advanced and limitless. Incredible, don't you agree?"

Stefan didn't say a word. He didn't know how to react to such startling information. Was he supposed to be in awe? Afraid? Defensive? Chilled to the bone? He wondered if Klaus saw through his uncertainty. When he looked up, Klaus was staring at him, his eyes turning an ominous shade of gold.

"Klaus?" Stefan asked, his voice barely a whisper.

"You didn't think I'd let you run off to your little human girlfriend without leaving you unscathed? I believe a little flogging is in order." Klaus' voice dropped a notch lower, his fangs bared at Stefan, his face transforming into a wolfish grimace.

Stefan began backing away. How was this possible? It was morning, and the full moon hadn't dominated the night sky.

"Did I forget to mention that a hybrid could transform at will? Thank your vampire blood for the extra ability," Klaus said, taking a step closer. Instead of changing into a wolf form completely, his figure was that of a man, except that his body and facial hair tripled in length and mass; his legs were slightly hunched and powerful; his fingers were longer and sharper; and his muzzle was shorter than an ordinary wolf but his face was more horrific and menacing. He was the archetype of a real werewolf. Half man, half wolf. When Stefan looked closer, Klaus' vampiric fangs were much more prominent than a pureblood werewolf.

"Oh, and something else slipped my mind," Klaus started, interrupting Stefan's thoughts. "The failed experiment wasn't my first. I tried the same procedure on other vampires but to no avail. Why, you didn't think this was the first time I tried turning a vampire into a werewolf, did you?"

Stefan couldn't tell what Klaus was thinking at the moment. The only thing that rushed into his head was that he had to escape, and fast. He looked out the window. Should he attempt to run for it, knowing full well that Klaus was much faster and stronger? He could kill Stefan with one blow. After years and years of being the hunter, he was now the prey. Susceptible to the adrenaline rush of being pursued and still putting up a fight when the odds were against him, Stefan was left with a tiny window of opportunity.

As his back leaned against the pool table, his hands mere inches from the glass of wolfsbane, Stefan took one last look at Klaus. This was the best way to go; either die trying or die with no regrets. Although he would have wanted to spend more time with Elena, he did the best he could for her. He had showered, almost smothered, her with so much love that it left him breathless. At least he was able to hold her, kiss her, love her. And that was all he needed: to love and be loved back. Now that he met a face worse than death, Stefan suddenly felt more impassioned, driven to fight rather than flee.

Growing tired of staring into each other's eyes with immeasurable intensity, Klaus made his move. He growled and lunged at Stefan. In that split second, with one deft move, Stefan grabbed the glass and splashed it at Klaus' face, causing the hybrid to yowl in shock. Stefan quickly jumped out the window and ran through the parking lot, into the woods. He ran as fast as he could, branches swatting his face, leaving welts on his face, but it instantly healed just as it started bleeding.

He arrived at a clearing, looking behind him for any sign of Klaus. He watched the trees, alert for any rustling branches. The trees were as silent and immovable as the air, but it still didn't calm Stefan down. Moreover, his throat was slightly parched from the exertion. It was fortunate that he had some blood a few hours ago, otherwise, he wouldn't have broken free of Klaus' grip, even if he escaped just by a hair's breadth.

"Silly Stefan. You didn't think diluted wolfsbane could stop me, did you?" Klaus' throaty voice was a growl, a tinge of amusement evident in his tone.

Stefan whipped around, facing Klaus in defensive mode. He had his arms poised in front of him, ready for an attack, though he knew it would break him instantly. At least he tried.

"See, there was one thing I haven't tried with the whole vampire-turn-into-werewolf experiment." Again with the staring, Stefan was starting to get sick of Klaus' unreadable expression. It made him feel vulnerable, like a pedophile stalking him. "I haven't tried turning a vampire in my hybrid form."

Before Stefan could utter another word, Klaus was at his throat, his fangs deep and long. The shock numbed the pain at first, but as razor-sharp teeth sunk deeper, he felt his skin was ablaze, his blood reaching boiling point. He cried out, the pain being unbearable. Sunlight paled in comparison to the intense heat he was currently experiencing. It felt like his insides and bones were melting _and_ breaking at the same time. A loud crack resounded in the soundless forest. Stefan wondered if Klaus was breaking his neck—he couldn't tell the difference anymore. Pain was pain, no matter where he was being attacked.

As Klaus' grip slackened, Stefan watched those piercing yellow eyes grinning at him. He could hear the evil laughter echoing in his head. He felt himself drifting into the darkness, thinking that dying was supposed to be quick, painful, no time for flashbacks or contemplation.

"It's a full moon tonight," Klaus said. Those were the last words he heard Klaus say before closing his eyes, letting Darkness wrap its shadowy tendrils around him. He didn't want his last image to be of Klaus' bloody face. He tried conjuring up Elena's face; the light of her smile shining through the dull ache that throbbed in his chest.

_Goodbye, Elena. I'll always love you._

His eyes suddenly popped open. Just when he felt like drifting off to Death's door, he was wide-awake, alert and intensely famished. He looked around him and found Klaus perched on a low branch, watching Stefan.

"He's alive!" Klaus said, jumping off the tree, his hands held up in triumph. He was Doctor Frankenstein, ecstatic of his monstrous creation. "How do you feel, my pretty?"

Stefan touched his face, his neck that was still wet from blood, and he looked down at his hands. His hands and arms were hairy, almost furry, and when he laid a hand on his face, his nose and lips were not where it used to be; he could feel a muzzle occupying his leaner face, his nose wet and sensitive. It was like he emerged from the water after years of drowning, breathing and gasping for lungful of air. And his vision, his vision was ten times clearer, like he was cured of blindness—and a vampire's eyesight was far better than that of a human.

"I'm a were—" Stefan started.

"A hybrid," Klaus corrected, obviously elated by the successful transformation. "You're _a _hybrid!" Klaus was laughing and jumping in the air like Jiminy Cricket.

"But isn't the transformation supposed to be excruciating?" Stefan asked, staggering to his feet.

"Not as bad as an ordinary werewolf," Klaus said, rubbing his hands together like he was about to play a fun game. "What are you hungry for? Barmaid or college student? I'm afraid we're short of barmaid though."

Stefan was at a loss for words, and he couldn't think straight. How was this possible? He touched his elflike ears, which moved on its accord. Everything around him was magnified, clarified into startling focus that it scared him a little. The air was crispier, and his sense of smell seemed like it filtered everything that passed through his nostrils. He could smell the soil beneath his enlarged feet; the woody perfume of the trees towering him was oaky and strong, making him sneeze.

"Stefan," Klaus interrupted his train of thought. "What do you say we go for a hunt?"

The word hunt made his heart leap, his stomach growl louder. Perhaps it was his wolf form that felt the strong inclination to hunt, or maybe the feeling was intensified because he harbored prominent traits of natural-born hunters. He involuntarily nodded his head and he arched his back when Klaus started laughing.

"You're not hunting in that form," Klaus remarked.

Stefan looked down. "You mean my original form?"

"No, your transformation isn't complete. You turn into a wolf completely," he pointed at the moonless sky. The sun was merging into the horizon, creating a breathtaking sunset of oranges and purples blended together.

"But your form awhile ago—"

"That was my half vampire, half werewolf form. I could change at will but because it wasn't a full moon, I couldn't transform into my werewolf form completely. And I conjecture that the reason why you're not dying from the werewolf's bite is because my vampire form nullified it and was able to change you. It's just a guess but it's the best one I've got so far."

Speechless, Stefan looked up at the darkening sky. He could feel his skin crawl with anticipation. He didn't know if he was frightened or excited, or both, but he felt strangely drawn to the emerging pull of the moon. He felt like his chest was about to implode from the rhythmic thudding of his heart. He felt the base of his throat making a low growl, slowly escalating into a soft howl.

Klaus chuckled. "I like how you adapt to your transformation so quickly. Very well-mannered," he commented.

Stefan didn't know if Klaus was making fun of his pathetic, puppyish attempt at howling, but he could care less of what Klaus thought of him at the moment. He was only looking forward to the moon, as if he were waiting for his princess' monthly visit.

"I have to warn you, Stefan. The full transformation is not entirely pleasant. You break a few bones every time," Klaus warned.

"Here it comes," Stefan said, turning a deaf ear to Klaus, who only smiled at his minion's eagerness.

Finally, to his heart's impatient longing, the moon rose to its full glory tonight, striking a sense of kinship in Stefan. Crying out in agony, his ribs breaking and expanding, his facial muscles stretching, his legs becoming longer and sturdier, Stefan felt every nerve bursting, every inch of pain unfolding in his body.

What first sounded like a cry evolved into a long howl. He sang to the moon, serenading his lost lover, beckoning her from her hiding place. Klaus soon joined in, basking in the moonlight, banding together instead of competing against one another.

Hungry for flesh and blood, the two hybrids—both young and old—sprinted across the woods, dodging each branch's slap, flying past aged trees, stomping on soil and stray leaves. Klaus' fur was mostly white with a tinge of black along the curve of his back and legs, while Stefan was auburn, the same color as his hair.

Unlike the vampire's individualistic nature, werewolves were familial and social. As they ran together, Stefan's previous resentment was gone, overshadowed by connection and the thirst for blood. He felt free and wild, liberated from his former feelings of entrapment and fear. This experience was beyond comprehension, and he was glad he was able to live it, once in a blue moon.

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To be continued…

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